Oppo Find N5: World’s Thinnest Foldable Phone Bridges Android-Mac Divide
Staff Editor Oppo Launches Find N5: Thinnest Foldable Phone with Unique Mac Connectivity
Oppo has unveiled its latest innovation, the Find N5, touted as the thinnest book-style foldable phone available globally, excluding the United States. Beyond its sleek design, the Find N5 introduces groundbreaking features, most notably its ability to connect seamlessly with Mac computers for file transfers and remote control capabilities.
In a first for Android devices outside China, the Find N5 offers unprecedented connectivity with Mac systems. Users can leverage this functionality by installing Oppo’s O Plus Connect app on their Mac, available directly from Oppo’s website. The connection process is streamlined when both devices share the same Wi-Fi network, with phone controls conveniently integrated into the “Connection & sharing” section of the Find N5’s Settings app.
One of the standout features is the Find N5’s file sharing capability. Users can now browse and wirelessly transfer files between their phone and Mac, addressing a long-standing challenge in the Android ecosystem where wired file-sharing with Macs typically requires cumbersome third-party solutions.
The remote control feature takes integration a step further, mirroring the Mac’s display on the Find N5. This functionality allows users to utilize their phone as a miniature laptop by folding it halfway. Notably, devices need only be online for remote control, not necessarily on the same network.
While innovative, the experience of using macOS on the Find N5 has its limitations. The phone’s bottom half can serve as a keyboard or trackpad with multi-touch gesture support, and it includes an on-screen mouse and common keyboard shortcut buttons. However, the small screen size and macOS’s lack of touch optimization can lead to a clunky user experience, with occasional performance lags.
Industry experts note that while file sharing proves more straightforward and useful, expanding on Oppo’s existing O Plus Connect app capabilities, the remote control feature for Macs represents a significant leap forward.
This development puts Oppo ahead in the race for seamless device integration. While Vivo introduced a similar feature in April 2024, it was limited to Vivo phones with OriginOS, available only in China. The Find N5’s global launch marks the first widespread availability of such features for Macs and Android phones.
Looking ahead, Oppo plans to expand this feature to more phone models, though specifics on which devices and timelines remain undisclosed. The potential inclusion of this feature in OnePlus handsets in the US market also remains uncertain.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, Oppo’s Find N5 sets a new standard for device interoperability, potentially influencing future developments in the mobile and computing sectors.
